[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 66 (Friday, April 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16999-17000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07002]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Economic 
Surveys of American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands Small Boat-Based Fisheries

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Minling Pan, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 
1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176, Honolulu, HI 96818, (808) 725-5349 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) collects information 
about fishing expenses in the American Samoa, Guam, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) boat-based reef 
fish, bottomfish, and pelagics fisheries with which to conduct economic 
analyses that will improve fishery management in those fisheries; 
satisfy NMFS' legal mandates under Executive Order 12866, the Magnuson-
Steven Fishery Conservation and Management Act (U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the 
National Environmental Policy Act; and quantify achievement of the 
performances measures in the NMFS Strategic Operating Plans. An example 
of these performance measures: The economic data collected will allow 
quantitative assessment of the fisheries sector's social and economic 
contribution, linkages and impacts of the fisheries sector to the 
overall economy through Input-output (I-O) models analyses. Results 
from I-O analyses will not only provide indicators of social-economic 
benefits of the marine ecosystem, a performance measure in the NMFS 
Strategic Operating Plans, but also be used to assess how fishermen and 
economy will be impacted by and respond to regulations likely to be 
considered by fishery managers. These data are collected in conjunction 
with catch and effort data already being collected in this fishery as 
part of its creel survey program. The creel survey program is one of 
the major data collection systems to monitor fisheries resources in 
these three geographic areas. The survey monitors the islands' fishing 
activities and interviews returning fishermen at the most active 
launching ramps/docks during selected time periods on the islands. 
Participation in the economic data collection is voluntary.

[[Page 17000]]

II. Method of Collection

    The economic surveys are conducted via in-person interviews when a 
fishing trip is completed. Captains of selected vessels by the creel 
survey are interviewed to report information about trip costs, input 
usage, and input prices.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0635.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 600.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes per trip survey.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 100.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 4, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-07002 Filed 4-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P